How My Little Birthday Went...

So, yesterday was my birthday. I was born. All those years ago. Yay.
It was a splendid time, really.
I made a little cake for myself, I went to a quaint little French restaurant for lunch, I went and explored some little antique shops, I got some new 1940s style gloves with fur on them (thanks, mommy...), I listened to all of my Owl City albums, and as always, I was able to reflect on the incredible life God gave me 18 years ago.

(FYI, I didn't go to the French place in this picture specifically, you know. The one I went to wasn't pink-y like this. :P Ah well. But they did have pastries, which added to the Frenchy-ness! :D )

Then I got on my little computer of course and checked out all my friend's birthday wishes (thanks so much, friends!). Y'all are so nice. :)
Then I did some crafts, and made myself a necklace...

And I did a little bit of writing (yes, even on my birthday, on my free day, because I'm a good little writer...) and it turned out pretty good.
Halfway through a scene, my sister walks in, and asks the horrid question that every writer dreads: "So what's your story about, anyways? Why's it called 'The Hidden Queen'?"
Me: "Well, it's about this queen who has to go undercover to save the brother that she hates."
Sister: "Why does she hate her brother?"
Me: "Because she thinks he killed her husband."
Sister: "... well did he?"
Me: "No."
Sister: *stares into space for a second*
Me: "So are you intrigued?"
Sister: (still staring at the wall. Smiles slowly.) "Yeah..."

So if I finish my book and it turns out crummy, I'll know that at least my sister likes it. *smiles smugly* Hehe. :)

Speaking of books, the best thing about my birthday is that everyone (meaning, all of my family) knows that they must get me books.
You'll never see me buy a book for myself around December or January, because that's when people are supposed to give me books.
That's why I didn't do a post or anything on the books I got for Christmas, because I knew I'd get some more for my birthday so I'll just do a post on them all together. :) I'm having the rest of the fam over in February, and they'll probably give me some more books then, so I'll do my little 'Books I Got' post after that. Ok? Think you can wait that long? Wonderful.

Oh, and here's my cake. :) I was trying to make them look like hydrangeas. I think I made the leaf icing a little too bright, but over all I think this year's birthday cake turned out nice. I might do a post on my other blog about the cake, so stay tuned. :)

I would show you a pic of the cake I made last year for my birthday, but I didn't take a picture of it! Can you believe that?!

So after a nice long day of cake and books and Frenchy-ness and vintage stuff... I went to bed quite satisfied with my life. God's in His heaven, and all's right with the world (almost).

Till next year. :)
-Phoebe

Ah, January. We meet again.

Well, I didn't post a thing for Christmas except for on Christmas day, and I'm only now getting to my new year's post on January 3rd. If I don't hurry, the year won't be new anymore at all. Let me take this opportunity to say first off:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Yay 2016!!!!!

It's been a great year. Yes, I know everyone says that but I'll say it too, thank you. It's been a GREAT year. 

In 2015: 

I started my blog!!!

...and I have a grand total of: two followers! Not much, I know. But it's quite a lot, considering I expected none. I wanted to start this blog for like 2 years, because I just loved all the sweet blogs out there, and I wanted to be a part of it all. Because talking about books and movies and pretty things is my favorite thing.

I saw a whole heap of movies that I'd been meaning to watch for the longest time. Such as War Horse, The Book Thief, and Testament of Youth. The highlight for movies this year is Gone With the Wind, which I had never seen before. I suggested to my family that we see it, seeing as how it was so popular and all, and I'm not really sure if they liked it or not because the whole thing ended up in a torrent of tears after that last scene. But I suppose they did because we did end up getting it for Christmas. :) 

I also finally saw Pride & Prejudice 1995, and I perfectly agree, it is the one and only BEST version out there. Almost every single scene was exactly how I pictured it in my mind when I read the book. All in all, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Oh and I saw Cinderella when it came out back in March. GORGEOUS movie, people. If you haven't watched yet, you're missing out. 

I went ice skating for the first time in like 4 years with a lovely homeschool family, and then we all went to some vintage/antique/novelty shops during Chrismastime and I bought meself an old hat and we ate cookies and got hot chocolate and GOSH it was a swell time. Definitely one of the highlights of my year. 

I got my first job. :) And I do enjoy working, I really do. Much more than I expected, I think.

I really enjoyed this scene. I enjoyed every scene. I love this movie.

I read the longest book in my life (so far): Bleak House, by Charles Dickens, and enjoyed it very much. In fact, I read a lot of good books this year. It was a good year, book-wise.

The most notable besides Bleak House is the Ascendance Trilogy, by Jennefer Nielson (I'm tempted to write a whole post on those books because I just want to go on and on about how good they are and how much I love them and GAH I love the characters so much and I've never SEEN such amazing plot twists in a single book before). 

 Also a highlight was 'Son', by Lois Lowry, which I got for Christmas, and had it finished within 3 days. It's supposed to be the conclusion to her other book, The Giver.  I really, really enjoyed 'Son'. It read kind of like a fairy tale, but it was just like the Giver in a lot of ways, so it's hard to describe it. You just have to read it to see what I'm talking about. But you'll have to read The Giver first to understand it, though, even though that one isn't as good, in my opinion.

I met a friend from Pinterest...by accident. I was at a conference and I just happened to run into someone who had the same name as a profile on Pinterest who I enjoyed commenting with, and she turned out to be the very same person! It was really neat meeting her. So now I just want to meet everyone I follow on Pinterest because I know you're all just so interesting in real life as well as in your, shall we say, internet life. :)

Last, but CERTAINLY not least: 

  

Jesus taught me so much this year. So. Much.

One lesson that sticks out in my mind is a certain verse that He showed me in John. 

While it seems that the world is chaotic (and getting to be more and more so), and the darkness of evil and sin is all around us, I was encouraged in 2015 by a promise He gave to His disciples (and to us) in John 16:33. 

"These things I have spoken to you , so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (NISB)

Did you read that? You want me to say it again? HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD, PEOPLE. There's nothing we need to worry about because He's got this.         

He's ready to guide our steps into the coming year, just like He did in 2015. Are you ready?! I certainly am! :D 

-Phoebe

Do you have any resolutions for 2016?